West Fourth Street Undergoing Big Changes

Officials are touting improvements along West Fourth Street, saying they pave the way for a “renaissance” in an often overlooked area of the city.

The improvements encompass several different projects – from Transylvania University’s newly opened stadium, to the Bluegrass Community and Technical College’s Newtown Campus, to West Fourth’s new two-way traffic pattern.

"We'll now be able to connect students with campuses, both BCTC and Transy, to connect residents with neighborhoods that surround both of these campuses, and to allow more folks to come into an area that, not so recently, was really considered remote and isolated," Ford says.

Now, with a resurfaced street, added bike lanes, and new sidewalks, officials hope the flurry of investment will attract more interest in the corridor and further improvements.

The new BCTC complex opened in August, but work will continue on the site of the former Eastern State Hospital for the next few years.